Groundbreaking Set For Taylor University Project
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowTaylor University says it will break ground on a $20 million campus center next week. The LaRita R. Boren Campus Center will feature dining, the Taylor Student Organization and several offices.
March 31, 2015
News Release
UPLAND, Ind. – Taylor University officials will break ground for the $20 million, 49,000 sq. ft. LaRita R. Boren Campus Center at 4:00 p.m., April 9, in front of the Rediger Chapel/Auditorium.
When it is finished, the Campus Center will be nearly triple the size of Taylor’s existing student union. The first floor of the complex will provide seating for more than 300 people in a food area with multiple dining options, including Chick-fil-A and the Jumping Bean coffee shop, as well as a campus store, Office of Intercultural Programs, the Calling and Career Office, Taylor World Outreach, and the Taylor Student Organization. Conference and dining rooms will be located on both levels, and an outdoor plaza and lawn, adjacent to the building will create significant programming space for campus events, student activities and concerts.
The second floor of the new Campus Center will be home to Taylor’s Counseling Center, Campus Pastor, Honors Program, and Spencer Centre for Global Engagement. Additionally, the second floor provides areas for dining and interaction, including a conference room. The facility adds a tiered auditorium that accommodates more than 280 additional students, faculty, and staff, and allows for concerts and events, film screenings, all-hall meetings, as well as high-quality overflow seating for chapel.
The Center will be constructed around the renovated Rediger Chapel/Auditorium. The 40-year-old Chapel will receive new seating and flooring and will have upgraded lighting and sound and a two-level foyer.
The Campus Center’s namesake, LaRita R. Boren, was a longtime Taylor trustee, honorary alumna and friend and was instrumental in the creation of several international student scholarships that allowed more than 100 students to experience a Taylor University education. She also served as Executive Vice President of Avis Industrial Corporation and was a board member of numerous civic organizations. Boren died after a brief illness in 2011.
Vice President for University Advancement Dr. Ben R. Sells said fundraising for the project has proceeded rapidly. Since the beginning of the academic year, the funding for the project has jumped from $4 million to nearly $20 million. “The nearly $20 million we now have in hand represents generous gifts from alumni, parents, and friends as well as faculty, staff, and students,” he said. “The LaRita R. Boren Campus Center will stand as a testament to their sacrificial support.”
“Many universities reference ‘community’ as being a hallmark of their experience. At Taylor University, our discipleship-focused, living and serving together model of community is one that is transformative and unique,” said Taylor President, Dr. Eugene B. Habecker. “We believe the LaRita R. Boren Campus Center will fulfill two lasting purposes. First, this center will serve as the hub from which our vital, life-changing community originates. Second, it is our wish that for years to come this wonderful facility will honor the legacy and memory of a godly, beloved member of our Taylor community, LaRita R. Boren.”
Campus officials say the LaRita R. Boren Campus Center is expected to open before the conclusion of Spring Semester 2016.
Source: Taylor University